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MEDIÆVAL HYMNS.
117


    The victory of Samson over the lion is spiritualised in an infinity of ways. Samson overcame him without telling his father and his mother. From the eater came forth meat, as from death came forth life, or, otherwise, as from the death of the lion of the Tribe of Judah came forth the spiritual honey which satisfies His people.

    As the dead which Samson slew in his death were more than they whom he slew in his life,—so not till after our Lord's death did the thousands of converts fall to the Church. Samson, according to the ungrammatical interpretation of the Fathers, means their Sun: that is, the sun of those that belong to Him.—Thus, Christ, though the Sun of all, yet shall bring final salvation to the Elect alone.

    The reference is to the Pole, on which the two spies carried the bunch of grapes. The Pole is the Cross:—the bunch typifies the Lord, as the True Vine; the spies, the Jews and Gentiles respectively. The spy that went first, turned his back on the bunch; thus the Jews, first called, rejected our Lord. He that came last kept his eyes on it;—thus the Gentiles, though last called, accepted the offered salvation.

    The poet refers partly to the Psalm, "Thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness,"—partly to the story of the Gibeonites,—by means of whose old sacks, when received by the princes, their salvation was effected. The sackcloth is here the Flesh of Christ; and the Royal Uses, Its immortality of glory after His Death.

    The Vulgate is here followed: "The Lord set Cain for a sign."